Bitonto, art and a lot of food

A large agricultural center in the province of Bari, Bitonto immediately recalls the olive groves, symbol of the city, in the collective imagination. the yellow oil of Bitonto is in fact an absolute gastronomic excellence; but it doesn't end there. The cuisine is the pride of the area, ranging from the splendid burratine and mozzarella to the freshest fish, desserts, taralli and bocconotti. Bitonto is also something else, there is certainly no shortage of art and monuments. First of all, the ancient Cathedral dedicated to St. Valentine, in typical Apulian Romanesque style, with a very fine early Christian basilica below. This underground basilica preserves remarkable mosaics rich in Christian symbolism including a splendid griffin dating from the eleventh century. Another symbol of the city is represented by the Sylos-Calò palace, basically in the Renaissance style but with Gothic-Aragonese elements especially in the portal. Bitonto boasts a thousand-year history, so much so that the historic Via Appia of Roman memory divided the urban fabric of the city into two parts.